Lightweight design and manufacture of electrical machine components

Project aim

Optimise the manufacture of electrical machine components through various lightweighting techniques and the design of multifunctional components.

Project background

Interest in electrification has become more prevalent in recent years due to the world's increasing need to move away from fossil-fuel-based energy production resulting from climate change and dwindling natural resources. Electrification has already been adopted within the automotive industry, with most major manufacturers producing a range of electric vehicles, but much development is still required to overcome the hurdles of power density and energy storage before widespread adoption can take place. This is especially true for electrification in the aerospace industry, where current motor and battery performance needs to improve dramatically before electrical propulsion is a viable alternative.

The Future Electrical Machine Manufacturing Hub (FEMM Hub) has been put together to address key manufacturing challenges in the production of this new high integrity and high-value electrical machines for the aerospace industry, energy, high value automotive, and premium consumer sectors.